Laurence Olivier Awards

The exuberant musical "La Cage Aux Folles" is the front-runner for the 2009 Laurence Olivier Awards, with seven nominations, including best musical revival. Musicals "Piaf," "Jersey Boys" and "Zorro" were each nominated in five categories on the shortlist, announced Tuesday. U.S. import "August: Osage County" was among several shows to get four nominations. The Olivier awards, Britain's equivalent of New York's Tonys, honor achievements in London theater, musicals, dance and opera.

Shows about French drag artistes and Scottish soldiers took top honors at the Laurence Olivier Awards recognizing the best of the London stage. The sequin-spangled "La Cage aux Folles" won the prize for best musical revival. Douglas Hodge was named best actor in a musical for his performance as high-stepping transvestite Albin in the show, set in a French Riviera nightclub. "Black Watch," Gregory Burke's powerfully physical play about a Scottish regiment's experiences in Iraq, took four prizes at the event Sunday night, including best new play and best director, for John Tiffany.

April 28, 1992 | ALEENE MacMINN, Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and international news services and the nation's press

The Winners: Ariel Dorfman's "Death and the Maiden" was named best play and its star, Juliet Stevenson, won best actress in the Laurence Olivier Awards presented in London. Oscar Hammerstein II's "Carmen Jones" received the best musical prize. The award for actor in a play went to Nigel Hawthorne for his title role in "The Madness of George III," Alan Bennett's new play. David Hirson's "La Bete," which was a flop on Broadway last year, was named comedy of the year.

LONDON -- "Hairspray," the bouncy, bouffant American musical, dominated the first stage of the 2008 Laurence Olivier Awards with 11 nominations. Three Shakespearean superstars squared off for acting honors. Ian McKellen's King Lear, Patrick Stewart's Macbeth and Chiwetel Ejiofor's Othello all earned nominations Thursday for best actor in a play, alongside John Simm for the Norwegian comedy "Elling" and Mark Rylance for the farce "Boeing-Boeing."

"Billy Elliot," the musical tale of a miner's son who wants to dance, led the field Wednesday with nine nominations for Britain's Olivier stage awards. The show, whose gritty story line and energetic Elton John tunes have made it a critical and popular hit, is up for best new musical, while Stephen Daldry is nominated as best director. James Lomas, George Maguire and Liam Mower, three young actors who have alternated in the title role, were all nominated for best actor in a musical.

LONDON -- "Hairspray," the bouncy, bouffant American musical, dominated the first stage of the 2008 Laurence Olivier Awards with 11 nominations. Three Shakespearean superstars squared off for acting honors. Ian McKellen's King Lear, Patrick Stewart's Macbeth and Chiwetel Ejiofor's Othello all earned nominations Thursday for best actor in a play, alongside John Simm for the Norwegian comedy "Elling" and Mark Rylance for the farce "Boeing-Boeing."

"The Producers" produced the goods at the Laurence Olivier Awards, winning three prizes, including best new musical, at London's equivalent of Broadway's Tonys. The West End production of Mel Brooks' raucous comedy also took the best actor award Sunday for transplanted star Nathan Lane. Lane, a last-minute replacement for Richard Dreyfuss who withdrew from the play, won rave reviews for his irrepressible turn as unscrupulous impresario Max Bialystock.

A trio of young stars from "Billy Elliot," the musical tale of a miner's son who wants to dance, stole the show at Britain's prestigious Olivier stage awards. James Lomas, George Maguire and Liam Mower, the three young actors who alternate in the title role, eclipsed "Star Wars" star Ewan McGregor to win best actor in a musical. McGregor was nominated for his turn as New York gambler Sky Masterson in an acclaimed revival of "Guys and Dolls."

"Jerry Springer -- the Opera," an exuberant tribute to the American talk show, triumphed at the Laurence Olivier Awards, winning four awards including best new musical. David Bedella, the show's smooth-talking Satan, was named best actor in a musical at the Oliviers, the British equivalent of Broadway's Tony Awards.

Jessica Lange, the two-time Oscar-winning film star, received her first Olivier nomination Thursday, while two little-known Irishmen, bound for Broadway in the same play, are both up for best actor. Winners of the 25th annual Laurence Olivier Awards--London's nearest equivalent to Broadway's Tony--will be announced Feb. 23.

A trio of young stars from "Billy Elliot," the musical tale of a miner's son who wants to dance, stole the show at Britain's prestigious Olivier stage awards. James Lomas, George Maguire and Liam Mower, the three young actors who alternate in the title role, eclipsed "Star Wars" star Ewan McGregor to win best actor in a musical. McGregor was nominated for his turn as New York gambler Sky Masterson in an acclaimed revival of "Guys and Dolls."

"Billy Elliot," the musical tale of a miner's son who wants to dance, led the field Wednesday with nine nominations for Britain's Olivier stage awards. The show, whose gritty story line and energetic Elton John tunes have made it a critical and popular hit, is up for best new musical, while Stephen Daldry is nominated as best director. James Lomas, George Maguire and Liam Mower, three young actors who have alternated in the title role, were all nominated for best actor in a musical.

"The Producers" produced the goods at the Laurence Olivier Awards, winning three prizes, including best new musical, at London's equivalent of Broadway's Tonys. The West End production of Mel Brooks' raucous comedy also took the best actor award Sunday for transplanted star Nathan Lane. Lane, a last-minute replacement for Richard Dreyfuss who withdrew from the play, won rave reviews for his irrepressible turn as unscrupulous impresario Max Bialystock.

"Jerry Springer -- the Opera," an exuberant tribute to the American talk show, triumphed at the Laurence Olivier Awards, winning four awards including best new musical. David Bedella, the show's smooth-talking Satan, was named best actor in a musical at the Oliviers, the British equivalent of Broadway's Tony Awards.

Jessica Lange, the two-time Oscar-winning film star, received her first Olivier nomination Thursday, while two little-known Irishmen, bound for Broadway in the same play, are both up for best actor. Winners of the 25th annual Laurence Olivier Awards--London's nearest equivalent to Broadway's Tony--will be announced Feb. 23.

April 28, 1992 | ALEENE MacMINN, Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and international news services and the nation's press

The Winners: Ariel Dorfman's "Death and the Maiden" was named best play and its star, Juliet Stevenson, won best actress in the Laurence Olivier Awards presented in London. Oscar Hammerstein II's "Carmen Jones" received the best musical prize. The award for actor in a play went to Nigel Hawthorne for his title role in "The Madness of George III," Alan Bennett's new play. David Hirson's "La Bete," which was a flop on Broadway last year, was named comedy of the year.